PA 109 – OFFICE SYSTEM MANAGEMENT

Chapter: 3 - Office Stationaries and Office Accommodation

Lesson: Office Accommodation and Layout

Duration: 1 Week (3 hours)

Objectives:

At the end of this lesson the students will be able…

1. To describe what is an ideal office location and setting.

2. To identify factors that affects office location and its effects to individual
employees.

Introduction

This lesson introduces the office design and layout as well as, office location that
the office manager should be consider in planning place for business. The place of work
and its surroundings are important factors which affect the efficiency of the employees
to a large extent. Since staff has to stay for long hours in the office and involved in
intellectual work the office must be properly accommodated with good working
environment and equipment to improve their work efficiency. Suitable accommodation,
modern equipment and proper working conditions are very important factors in
improving efficiency and reducing office costs.
The office should be established at such a place where customers can reach
without any convenience. As far as possible, the central part of the city is an idea place
for office location. As the success of any business concern depends upon the location
of its office, the office manager is required to study the location of an office, office
building and office layout. In this lesson you will learn all about the following:
 Office Location
 Factors Affecting Selection of Office Location
Let us learn from this!

Office Location

The main aim of any office is to get the office work done with maximum efficiency
at minimum cost. This aim can be achieved only when the office is properly located with
good building and layout.
The location of an office building ensures congenial working condition. Office
employees may concentrate their mind in work under congenial working condition. It is
an accepted fact that the office work is mostly brain work much of which is monotonous
and repetitive in nature. So, unless good office layout and building is not provided, it will
not be possible to perform the office work very efficiently.
Moreover, the office clerk has to spend a large part of the day in the office for
doing such work. Thus it is clear that providing adequate and suitable office
accommodation is necessary for efficient performance of work.
A systematic arrangement of office will give naturally maximum efficiency at a
minimum cost on all occasions. Therefore, the top management of the company has the
responsibility of providing proper and adequate office facilities to the staff so as to get
maximum result.
Selection of Office Location – Points to Consider

The provision of proper and adequate office location and layout is of basic
importance in an office management. The office manager has to play the major
role in determining the arrangements of office. The following points should be
bear in mind in the selection of office location and layout.

1. The site or location of office building.

2. Securing suitable office building or space.

3. Size and shape of office.

4. Lighting.

5. Layout of office.
 6. Ventilation and air condition.

7. Facilities of office.

8. Open office or private office.

9. Staff and customer convenience.

10. Physical conditions of office.

11. Cost of office accommodation or space.

12. Sanitation.

13. Noise.

14. Health.

15. Safety.

Circumstances when a need for good office location is realized

The office manager has to consider the present and future requirements of
office while selecting a building for office. If an unsuitable location is selected,
there is a great inconvenience caused to the office staff and to the customers.
Besides the future expansion of an office is also difficult one.

There is no hard and fast rule regarding the selection of the location of
office. Even though, an unsuitable location leads to loss of time and effort and
thereby reduces the efficiency of work. The problem of selection of office location
is raised under the following circumstances.

1. At the time of starting of business unit

2. Change of office location due to increased volume of work

3. At the time of expansion of business.

4. The lease of an office building has expired.

5. The owner of office building requires for his own use.

6. Shifting of the business from one place to another or one state to

another.
Factors Affecting Selection of Office Location

The following factors should be considered while selecting location for an office
building.
1. Surroundings: The office building should be located in a quiet place. The
surroundings of office buildings should be free from noise, congestion, dust,
fumes and obnoxious smell. The reason is that these are some responsible
factors for reducing work efficiency of office employees.
2. Nearness to Related Business: It is advisable to locate the office very
nearness to other offices in the same line of business in order to get the
benefits of localization. For example, The office of Non Banking Finance
Companies are generally located near to the banks, showrooms and dealers
of high cost goods. Such location helps the organization to keep in touch with
the money market trends and to provide better service to customers.
3. Nearness to Other Units: The nature of business may be manufacturing and
located in outer place of city or town area. If so, the space for office is
selected very nearness to the factory, warehouse etc. This is necessary for
smooth operation of business.
4. Nearness to Service Units: An office is rendering service to its parent unit.
Even though, the office is requiring service of other units. They are banks,
post office, courier service, market, stock exchanges etc. The availability of
this service saves valuable time and effort and improves the efficiency of
operations.
5. Nearness to Transport Service: Transport service is necessary for the
convenience of the staff as well as for the customers. Besides, the smooth
operation of business is ensured by receiving adequate raw materials and
dispatching of finished goods in time. Nearness to railway station, port or air
terminal is adding special advantage for some offices.
6. Availability of Employees: An office should be located very nearness to the
place of sources of employees. The reason is that labor turnover has
increased due to modern means of transport and landing of Multi-National
 Corporation. If there is any need of skilled employees, the office should be
located near the source of such employees.
7. Building Constraints: Building constraints have to be considered before the
site selection for an office building. Such constraints may be found in the
conveyance deed or in local municipal rules and regulations.

Let us assess!

Activity 1

Instruction: Describe your ideal office setting by discuss each elements and its purpose.
The discussion should not be less than three (3) paragraphs. It would be better if you
use literature in justifying such elements in your office.

Activity 2

Instruction: Fill-in the table with discussions relevant to factors affecting office location.

How these factors affect individual workers in an office? Cite

No. Factors
specific instances.
As what I have read, it is so essential that the physical
building of the company must be near to the subject of
interest to become the elective workers, or chosen workers in
the first place. Because, it is beneficial in both parties.
1. Availability of Employees
To cite an example, if the appointed workers indeed so
distant to the building. It may affect the productivity and thus
affecting the whole company’s performance overall.
Needless to say, business attracts business. It also applies to
transaction. It should be one of the elements that should be
consider.
Nearness to Related
2.
Business
If we will look closely to the developed cities and other areas,
typically big buildings were just meters apart from each other.
And that is self-explanatory.
3. Surroundings The same with nurturing a child, the same concept will
flourish a company. First and foremost, it should be away
from all elemental compromise. It should create a productive
workplace rather than workers adjusting to the sorroundings.

For example, a noisy environment will support as an

enormous hedge, a defiance whereas workers performance
 will drastically decrease.

References:

Saidali, M. (2012). Module in Administrative Office Management. Mindshapers Co., Inc.

61 Muralla St., Intramuros, Manila Philippines.
Balachandran, V. (2009). Office Management. McGraw-Hill Education Private Limited 7
West Patel Naga, New Dekhi.
Rani, S. (2018). Office Management And Secretaryship – Theory Government Of Tamil
Nadu, State Council of Educational Research and Training